Pen



Aug. 25, 1936. R. A. swAR swELTER 2,052,500

PEN

Filed Oct. 23, 1955 INVENTOR 5' BY ATTORNEY WITNESS Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to a pen and more especially to a fountain pen.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a pen of this character, wherein the barrel thereof has therein a plurality of chambers or compartments for holding ink and the supply thereof to the pen point is controlled through releasable valves, these being manually actuated so that the ink in the respective chambers or compartments can flow therefrom, the valves being prevented from sticking as the same are operated one upon the other and in this manner the valve of the pen can carry ink of different colors for use in writing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a pen of this character, wherein plungers are movably fitted within the barrel thereof and such plungers control the valves for regulating the feed of ink from the series of chambers or compartments as provided therein, the pen being readily cleaned to assure perfect writing when the same is in use.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pen of this character, which is simple 25 in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, convenient for use, particularly in the carrying of different colors of ink, strong, durable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the in- 30 vention consists in the features of construction,

combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through a pen constructed in accordance with the invention.

40 Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view through one of the chambers or 45 compartments.

Figure 4 is a similar view through another of said chambers or compartments.

Figure 5 is an end view of the feeder.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the pen comprises a barrel III of tubular or cylindrical form and having an outwardly tapered reduced 55 end II in which is fitted the feeder I2 and pen point I3, respectively. This feeder I2 has passages I4 for the delivery of ink therethrough onto the pen point I3.

The passages I4 in the feeder I2 lead from a series of cells I5 for ink, there being three 5 in number in this instance, and these are housed longitudinally within the barrel I0 and at their filling ends are closed by a removable cap I6 threaded onto the barrel at the open end II opposite the end I I. The cap I6 has fitted therein 10 a felt pad I8 to prevent leakage of ink from the open end H of said barrel. These cells I5 in the compartments or chambers I9 provided therein will hold and carry ink, one chamber or compartment I9 being for one color ink, an- 15 other for another color ink, etc.

Operating within each compartment or chamber I9 is a tubular plunger or piston carrying at its inner end a spring seated spherical or ball valve 2I, the latter being supported in a 20 cage 22 while each compartment or chamber I9 is closed at its inner end by a spring seated flap valve 23, it having a tripper 24 which is acted upon by the plunger or piston 29 for the automatic opening of the said flap valve 23 and the ball or spherical valve 2I on engagement of said plunger or piston with said tripper 24 so that ink can flow freely from the chamber or compartment I9 to the pen point I3.

Each plunger or piston 20 carries a pivotally mounted trigger 25 which swings inwardly and outwardly through a clearance 26 provided in the barrel I0 and the cell I5. The trigger 25 is readily accessible through the clearance 26 so that the same can be pulled outwardly from the position shown in Figure 3 of the drawing to the position shown in Figure 4 of the drawing and in this position it can be manually manipulated to move the plunger or piston 20 in a direction to operate the tripper 24 for the simultaneous opening of the valves 2| and 23 to permit the flow of ink to the pen point. The plungers or pistons 20 are selectively operable'and manually controlled as indicated.

The ink can not fiow from the cells I5 within the barrel I0 until a selected plunger or piston 20 has been actuated for the opening of the valves whichcontrol the flow of ink to the pen point.

Each clearance 26 is preferably of substantially keyhole shaped formation so that the trigger 25 accessible therethrough can be readily engaged for the manual operation of the plunger or piston 20 carrying such trigger.

Normally the plungers or pistons 20 are re- 5 moved from the trippers 24 so that the valves M and 23 will be closed under the action of the springs associated therewith for maintaining such valves in closed position.

What is claimed is:

1. A pen of the character described comprising a barrel having a capped end and a reduced opposite end, a feeder fitting the reduced end, a pen point carried in the reduced end, a plurality of ink cells fitting said barrel and having valves controlling communication thereof with the feeder, tubular plungers working within the cells and having valves and means for moving the plungers to operate the valves in the cells and also simultaneously operate the valves carried thereby.

2. A pen of the character described comprisinga barrel having a capped end and a reduced opposite end, a feeder fitting the reduced end, a pen point carried in the reduced end, a plu rality of ink cells fitting said barrel and having valves controlling communication thereof with the feeder, tubular plungers working within the cells and having valves, means for moving the plungers to operate the valves in the cells and also simultaneously operate the valves carried thereby and triggers carried by said plungers and accessible exteriorly of the barrel for accommodating said plungers.

RALPH A. SWARTSWELTER. 

